Taking the Scenic Route

This article was published in the Escape Artist Weekly Newsletter on July 20, 2018. If you would like to subscribe to the newsletter, please click here.

Hello readers,

I hope you’ve been enjoying your week! We at Escape Artist have been gearing up for our very first conference and are excited to share the experience with you. Until then, we’re going to keep you updated on the happenings from all over the globe.

This week, you will find out which country is seeing a decrease in expat prices, where mothers may soon be able to retire early, and which attraction is geared especially towards nature lovers.

Just like every Friday, the newest Escape Artist content can be found at the end of this newsletter. Have you ever wondered where the friendliest places for LGBT travelers are in Mexico? Now you don’t have to, find the article below!

But first, let’s see what’s happening in Egypt.

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I’ve Watched Too Many Movies to Think This is a Good Idea.

If the 1999 film The Mummy has taught us anything, it’s that we shouldn’t open Egyptian tombs. Tell that to a group of archaeologists that have discovered a massive sarcophagus in Alexandria.

While we all know the Brendan Fraser movie is completely ridiculous, this real-life event is still exciting since the tomb is massive and has remained untouched for 2,000 years.

Many were anticipating the remains of Alexander the Great but were instead greeted by a foul smell and what looks to be a family burial, according to El-Watan, an Egyptian news outlet.

I’m not the only one who feared an ancient curse. Mostafa Waziri of the Supreme Council of Antiquities had this to say: “We’ve opened it and, thank God, the world has not fallen into darkness. I was the first to put my whole head inside the sarcophagus… and here I stand before you … I am fine.”

I, for one, am relieved.

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A New Bill That Only a Mother Could Love.

Is it possible to let mother retire early? If one bill passes in Romania, the answer is yes!

The Social Democratic Party that is currently ruling in the country, as well as the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, have drafted a bill that allows a woman to retire years earlier based on every child they have over the age of ten.

The reason this bill was formed was due to women giving up working or delaying having children because of economic factors. Mediafax news agency cited a drop in fertility rates across the country. The number of newborns fell below 20,000 per year, and the population is reduced by five Romanian nationals every hour.

Currently, the price of retirement for women in Romania is 60 years of age.

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Dome Sweet Dome (Car)

If you’ve ever been on a train and thought that it would be a lot better with access to some stunning natural beauty, Amtrak is making your wish come true. This fall, travelers can book trips through New England and Canada on the historic Dome Car, a vintage glass-domed train car with an upper level that features windows on all sides and above.

The Great Dome Car will take four trips a day between August 22 and September 23 of this year, from Brunswick through Portland to Boston. From September 23 to November 2, travelers can enjoy Lake Champlain as it travels from Montreal to New York, passing through Albany.

Built in 1955, this is the last dome car in existence with service through Amtrak.

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London Prices Falling Down, Falling Down, Falling Down!

Could London see a decline in expat costs months before Brexit? Seems like it!

The Global Cost of Living Survey by Mercer, a tool used to help determine the best places for overseas living for international workers, has found that actually over the past 20 years the cost of living for expats in London has decreased by 18%.

The survey does not say why the price has dropped, and many are questioning it as well, but many attribute this change to the turbulent value of the British pound.

Don’t pack your bags just yet! Although there has been a trend of lowering prices, London still holds a seat amongst the 30 most expensive cities for expats in the world. Other top contenders have dropped in price as well. Over the twenty-year period, Hong Kong’s cost of living fell 25%, Beijing fell 34%, and Cairo, the capital city of Egypt, experienced the largest decrease with 45%.

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Save the Date!

We have received so much great feedback and help in planning the very first Escape Artist conference! Your contribution to our survey gives us a great idea of what the event will look like, what we will discuss, and how many of you would like to attend. We are excited to announce that the dates and location of the conference have been decided!

Mark Your Calendars for December 1st and 2nd…and book your trip to Dallas, Texas, to meet all of your favorite Escape Artists!

Want to join us? Contact me here. If you would like to reserve your spot, please send me a message and I will personally send you the official invite when it is finalized over the coming weeks. There will also be a 10% discount for anyone who reserves a spot in the month of June. Seats are limited, so act now!

If you’d still like to share your ideas for the conference, you can fill out the survey here!

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Thank you for reading this week’s round-up! If you’re interested in learning what it’s like to become an expat, don’t hesitate to ask some questions. At Escape Artist, we aim to ensure that your travels abroad run as smoothly as they can.

For more information on what’s going on in the international scene, check out some of this week’s newest articles!

P.S.Do you have questions about how to live abroad and what the experience is like? Are you looking for international investment opportunities? Want to meet like-minded people who are in the same boat as you? Come hang out with other EA readers and the Escape Artist staff! We will be hosting an event this year and can’t wait to meet you!

Click here to find out more informationand to stay in the loop on locations and dates! It’s important that this event be exactly what YOU want – no alternate agenda or product pitches! This is about answering YOUR questions! In order for the event to be a success, take a second to fill out this survey. By sending us your thoughts, you can tailor the event to your specific overseas needs. We will also be supplying a 10% discount during registration to everyone that filled out the survey to make the event possible!

Mexico is quickly becoming one of the most LGBT and gay-friendly cities in Latin America. With the country’s capital and biggest city legalizing gay marriage, it won’t take long for the rest of the country to follow. Here’s what you need to know about LGBT in Mexico.

Mexico, like the United States, has an increasingly varied culture that varies greatly from state to state. Many Mexican states have become more accepting to the LGBT communities than others. Some you should avoid, since they have a long way to go to escape their old-school machismo. Here are the cities with the biggest LGBT communities in Mexico:

Guadalajara

Guadalajara is the second-largest city in Mexico, known for its awesome museums, galleries, and other cultural attractions. It has a vibrant LGBT community that is welcoming to both locals and…

If you’re traveling to Mexico City and want to find a great gay-friendly area, it’s Zona Rosa. Here’s everything you need to know about gay-friendly travel to Mexico City and Zona Rosa. I guarantee you’ll have a blast!

You can say a lot of amazing things about Mexico – the beaches, the food, the beautiful landscapes, the rich and vibrant culture. But in the aspect of human rights, Mexico hasn’t been as progressive as its neighbor to the north. The exception is Zona Rosa in Mexico City.

Mexico has struggled with a “macho” culture and cis male-oriented leadership for decades that has prevented…

In this post, I’ll look at Casa Na Bolom in San Cristobal de las Casas. This is an incredible museum and nationally recognized historic site in the most southern state, Chiapas. If you want to escape the tourists and gringofied cities, head to Casa Na Bolom in San Cristobal de las Casas!

Mexico is by far the favorite country for American tourists. More than 86 million Americans visited Mexico in the past year alone. Americans come to Mexico to enjoy the tropical beaches, taste the incredible food, and absorb the fantastic and rich culture.

Baja California is a border state in Mexico just below California in the USA. The primary transfer points are with San Diego (San Ysidro) and Calexico, CA. Baja is the state where most Maquiladoras are operated.

Americans know the state for its beaches, the wine country in Ensenada that many are saying rivals Napa Valley, and the delicious food. The city of Tijuana, which borders San Diego, has become a major outsourcing and FinTech center for Latin America.

In the past few decades, Baja California has become a haven for American entrepreneurs, and all thanks to…

If you’re looking for a second residency or second passport, you’ll want to know which countries have easy immigration laws. Some, like the United States, are nearly impossible to get into. Others, like Austria, require you to invest millions for a residency visa. In this post, we’ll look at the other end of the spectrum… those countries with relatively easy immigration laws.

There are four basic reasons people seek out countries with easy immigration laws. Some want to leave their home country and live somewhere with a different vibe and a lower cost of living.

Others want to get a second residency and hold it in their back pockets, should they…